There are not a lot of mysteries in the political arena, especially in Illinois. This series of articles is aimed at helping everyone see that we are in the mess we are in because of the failure of our so-called political “elites,” many of whom continue to profit handsomely by losing.
So far, the failure of most business people and lawyers in politics has been discussed. Now it is time to venture into scary territory: discussing military veterans who enter the political arena.
Why is it scary? Because any criticism of veterans is verboten. Let us start with the bottom line. It doesn’t matter if you went to West Point or some other military academy, or even if you have faced bullets in foreign wars. That experience, like business and law, does not necessarily translate into the political arena.
As always, there are exceptions. In recent years, a handful of military veterans from around the country have been elected to Congress and appear to have great potential. Congressman Eli Crane is definitely someone to watch. DNI Chief Tulsi Gabbard has already proven her political courage and abilities.
Many military veterans in politics seek to capitalize on their military service, especially with the big donor class. That is perfectly fine, since their service is laudable, and it often does speak good of their character.
Something obviously needs to be said as well: joining the military is not the only way to serve your country. Countless Americans serve their country is numerous roles. I’ll refer you to the Founding Fathers—not every one of them served in the Continental Army.
My earliest memories as a child in the 1960s included near worship of the men and women who won World War Two. By the time I graduated from high school, however, the armed forces had lost credibility because of the Vietnam War—and after meeting with a recruiter, I chose to serve in another way.
Let us face facts. The American military might be the most fearsome and lethal force ever assembled, but it has not won a war in 80 years. There are those who say we have won one or two small ones since then, and I won’t argue the case. Anyone even slightly informed understands that today we are not ready to fight a serious conflict in most places in the world.
The many ways policies such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have helped create the mess within the United States armed forces are increasingly well known. More importantly, our military leaders did far worse over the past two-plus decades not pushing back against political leaders regarding entering endless, unwinnable wars overseas.
Back to the Founding Fathers—does anyone really believe that General George Washington would have followed fundamentally stupid guidance from the Continental Congress? He and his staff would have pushed back and said no, and if their advice wasn’t heeded, those military leaders would have resigned.
How many times in recent decades have generals or other high ranking individuals made a fuss about wrong headed civilian leadership?
After the incredibly unfair and evil treatment of Vietnam era veterans, our county swung back to where it should be. Now, most people appreciate those who enlisted and served.
But don’t confuse that service with some kind of automatic ability in the political arena. The reality is, military veterans are no more competent than those who came from business or a legal practice. Honest veterans agree.
To continue to answer the non-mystery question addressed in this series, next time this column will look at how well former astronauts do in the political arena. Spoiler alert: as smart as they are, they usually fail too.
Up next: Astronauts!
